Trained Killer To Transformed Man Brings A Message Of Hope

Left to right: Mike, Richard and Jonathan.

Media Release: Trained Killer To Transformed Man Brings A Message Of Hope

For the first time ever and exclusively to Kaikohe a former Ugandan warlord will hold five meetings, the first will be held on Thursday night at Kohewhata Marae and open to the whole community. On Friday night at Kohewhata, former warlord Richard Esolu from Uganda will speak exclusively to men in a ‘no holds barred’ address on how to overcome violence, anger and abuse. The visiting Ugandan pastor brings a powerful message of family and community transformation, he himself coming out of a background of extreme violence and brutality. At thirteen years of age, Richard was kidnapped by anti-government rebel soldiers. He was taken into the jungle and trained to kill. By the age of seventeen he had risen to the rank of commander. After decades of fighting, murder, rape and mayhem he laid down his arms, came out of the jungle and handed himself over to the Ugandan army. “It’s a miracle they didn’t put him against the wall and shoot him right there”, says one of his Kiwi friends Bob Hamilton. “But when they heard his story they had some sort of compassion on him and gave him an amnesty. Then he had to go back into the jungle and rescue his woman.” From rebel soldier he became a police man and now he is a pastor overseeing several churches in northern Uganda and caring for the many of the orphans in the region. 50 years old, Richard says, “Thank the lord for keeping me for all these years, I would have died in the gun battles since the age of 17 when I was forced to rebel and fought over 1000 wars without getting shot down. Yet many of my friends junior and senior to me fell dead. I shall serve the lord with all my heart, my soul and my spirit, so help me Lord.” Kaikohe church leader Mike Shaw says, “We are doing everything we can to get a message of hope into our community by supporting Men Against Sexual Violence, It’s Not OK and any other groups that will help men take responsibility for our own actions and make positive change. Richard’s life is evidence of the life changing power of Jesus Christ. You can’t deny it. He has gone from a trained killer to a transformed man. His story will give any man hope and the knowledge on how to make permanent, positive change.” Richard is speakingon Thursday night to the community at Kohewhata marae and on Friday night just to men. Then on Saturday night and two meetings on Sunday at the Celebration Church in Kaikohe. Mike Shaw visited Richard last year in Uganda with Jonathan Cargill and invited Richard to come to Kaikohe.

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